What is The Otherhood of One?

I originally posted this as a regular blog entry, but as the sheer number of entries multiplies, I find that this has been relegated to a dusty place in my archives.  Since it explains The Otherhood of One in more detail, I thought perhaps it deserved to be raised to “page” status, easily accessible to anyone new to the blog who is curious…

What is The Otherhood of One?

For me, The Otherhood of One (T.O.O.) is a dream that began manifesting in my reality some 20-25 years ago.  At the time, it seemed huge and significant, as though all my years of study had finally coalesced into something almost tangible. I envisioned an organization of sorts composed of people following many different paths, who gathered together on common ground to share insights and learn from each other.

Over the years, the otherhood has had many incarnations, from a simple topic of conversation, to actual face-to-face discussion groups, to online forums, to a learning circle, to a group of characters from a book I wrote.  But at its core, the Otherhood has always been a simple principle, comprised of simple truths:

• There are many paths to travel, but they all lead to the same place eventually.
• There are many truths to learn, but there is only one Truth.
• That Truth is One – the Source from which we all sprang, the Destination toward which we all journey.
• Each of us is unique as a self, but ultimately we are but one facet of a Self.
• We must see our selves as separate in order to actually see our Self.
• Hence the value and necessity of Others – to reflect our true nature back to us, both our little ego selves, and our larger Divine Self.

Where did the idea of The Otherhood  come from?

I had been on many paths, seeking Truth, seeking answers to questions I had only begun to discover, seeking escape from the madness that was my reality.  I was drawn into the Eastern philosophies, as they appealed more to my nature than traditional religious paths, though I had tried a few of them as well. But there was a kind of peace in the Eastern traditions that soothed my storm-tossed soul.

One night, while deep in meditation, I felt my consciousness expand beyond my personal boundaries.  It felt amazing; freed from the prison that was my body, my mind, my sense of self flowed outward in all directions, unimpeded by any physical obstacles.  Awestruck, I gave myself fully to the joy that accompanied that expansion, being careful not to let my thoughts get in the way.  As my sense of self accelerated outward, I became convinced it would never stop, that I, myself, would become as infinite as the Universe itself!  And then it happened…

For one split second of time, one miniscule fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a heartbeat I was everything, everywhere, every time.  I had no boundaries, no limitations, no need, no fear, no desire… No hope, either.  For in that experience I found Nothingness as well.  I was Everything, simultaneously without contradiction, but I was also Alone…

And that realization slammed me back into my mortal self with a vengeance!  And I cried.  No, it was more than that, really.  I sobbed uncontrollably, inconsolably, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, soul-rending tears, until there was absolutely nothing left inside me.  And then I slept…

When I awoke, I tried to forget what had happened, but I could not; it was as if my very self had been altered by the experience, and there was no undo button available.  Nor was I ever able to find a reset button, either.  I was changed, period.  And though I tried to go back to my “normal” life, it was impossible for me; this experience haunted both my waking and my sleeping hours.  It was always there.  And so, finally, in sheer desperation, I sought to understand it…

The Otherhood, and its principles grew out of that search for understanding…

How does the Otherhood impact your daily life today?

Today, the otherhood, in spite of its many manifestations, has become my daily life.  Having experienced what I once believed was the goal – to become One with All – and been devastated by it, I have learned to find joy in the journey instead.  And it is that journey that is the otherhood today…

Why resurrect The Otherhood of One now?

Because now might finally be the “right” time, though it is hard for me to know, since Time has ever been an issue of mine.  lol  But simply put, back when I first “created” the concept of the Otherhood, I was eager to share with everyone, and being surrounded by spiritual, educated, inclusive types of people at the time, I had high hopes it would blossom among them.  It did not.  My friends all listened, to be sure, but their responses were limited.  Either they nodded their heads “yes” at me while secretly thinking, “yep, Lisa’s out there again,” or they shook their heads “no,” thinking, “oh, no, Lisa’s out there again.”  In any event, they merely tolerated my bizarre theories and beliefs, but never engaged…

Today, thanks to the internet, I find myself encountering similar ideas in every corner.  Blame it on the consciousness raising currently going on, or simply the more globally minded public, but this idea is everywhere today.  And when I mention it to people, they either nod their heads “yes,” while thinking “yep, I’ve heard of this before” or “yeah, I get that,” or they shake their heads “no” at me, while thinking, “no, I don’t agree.”  Either way, it is no longer a mere extension of my personal insanity, but a recognizable truth to many.

As it likely always was, for certainly it is not my truth specifically; just my terminology for a truth that has long been understood.  But now is a time, and the internet is a place, to experience it again…